Printable View
I use a Nikon D70s (6.1MP); I am considering buying the Nikon D90 (12MP). Assuming the same camera settings and the same subject, would I be able to crop the image more heavily and sharpen that image more successfully with the D90 (given that it offers more megapixels)? I should add that I'd be useing the same lens in both cases -- Nikkor 70-200VR.
Thanks,
Wendell
Wendell,
I moved up from an 8MP to a 12MP Canon and I did notice that I had a bit more wiggle room for cropping and seemed to get more detail with the extra MP. I actually needed less sharpening than before.
maria
Thanks, maria, for your response! For me it is a choice between the camera or a longer lens (I use a 2X TE with the 70-200VR), and I can't afford both just now. I'm glad to know I can crop more heavily without losing detail in the image. That should help a lot.
Hard choice Wendell, I usually would go for the longer lens but sometimes the new camera body is more doable. I was hoping for a longer lens for my anniversary prez but hubby thought he'd surprise me by upgrading my Oly from 8 to 12 MP. So next year maybe. But lenses last longer than bodies usually. What lens were you looking at?
maria
Well, maria, I'm thinking of (dreaming of) the 200-400VR. Christmas is coming before the year is over, ain't it . . . in the meantime, I'm working on the camera . . .
you know, I am not well qualified to post on this forum. However, when I went from a 40D (10MP) to a 50D (15MP), I found I could crop more extensively, and still get a satisfactory image, YMMV. BTW, I crop 90% of my photos. Sharpening is different also.
Depends on what you want to do with the files. Do you want to sell them or make prints for yourself or post on websites? How large prints do you want to make? Assume you buy a longer focal length lens and you then dont need to crop a lot, is the 6.1MP file size enough for you? If your intention is making 8X10 prints and web posting, 6.1Mp is good enough...even after little crops, there should not be an issue.
Are other factors in the camera limiting what you want to do and is upgrading camera going to remove those limitations to a certain degree? better ISO performance, better AF, microadjustment etc. etc. If that is case, then go for camera upgrade.
Do keep in mind that by getting a longer focal length, you are getting the 'shallow depth-of-field' benefit that mere cropping does not give you. Plus the objects bigger in viewfinder and hence easier to focus and track. depends on what you shoot too.
You can always buy lens, try it for some time and sell for little loss if you feel 6.1MP is not enough. As opposed to that, your new camera will depreciate faster. What I am trying to say is...if from an year from now, you feel that the camera has to be sold to buy a new lens, loss will be more than say if you were to try the lens for an year and sell to buy a better camera. Hope this helps.
The D70 was my first "serious" digital camera Wendell. It is quite old technology now and you will I think get much higher quality images from the D90, quite apart from the resolution improvement. Are you sure you can't squeeze a D300s out of the system? This is new technology and will IMO serve you better than the D90. The straight D300 (no s) may be going pretty cheap these days as a fall-back.
Kaustubh, I appreciate your extensive reply. It is helpful to me in my effort to learn a bit more about preferred bird photography equipment. (By the way, I found your website to be very nice.) I have friends who live in Willis, Texas, with this sign prominently displayed: "I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could".
Good post Wendell
I have not payed much attention to the fact I can crop more with higher MP cameras, still aim for a particular size in frame image. If I catch a difficult bird in flight like an oystercatcher would be uncomfortable keeping a large crop .... but maybe it would be about the same size image as from an older camera.
One point that bothers me is the dof that Kaustubh brought up. It just looks strange to the eye and its easy to see is a large crop. Also being able to capture the bird in a large portion of the frame is a challenge which motivates me.
All boils down to personal preference and what you want to do with the image. With the new cameras imagine you could have a huge crop and come up with good image.
Wendell
Have you thought of renting both a camera and a longer lens. Use the rented camera with your existing lens and your existing lens with the rented camera...then see which of the combination's you will benefit from the most. Do you know anyone you can borrow from, if you had Canon I would help you with this.
Bill
Good point Bill .... btw cameras come and go but lenses you tend to keep !!!
All responses have been helpful . . . thanks. It is sometimes easy for "pros" to forget how many "little things" they have absorbed over the years.
Wendell, glad to share what I know. But I hope you are not referring to me in the above statement. If I am a pro photographer, then you are a NBA player :-)Quote:
Originally Posted by wendell westfall
